Unpaid carers in West Wales offered chance to become ‘caring craftivists’

Unpaid carers in West Wales are being encouraging to express the challenges they face through the power of craftivism.

We Care – a multi-award inning grassroots campaign run by and for carers – and Oxfam Cymru have teamed up with renowned textile artist Vanessa Marr to help amplify carers’ views and voices in an innovative way: by transforming ordinary, lowly yellow dusters into mighty and powerful personal messages and insights into what it’s like to care for someone else.

A selection of the completed dusters will be displayed at an exhibition at the Senedd later in the year, taking the voices and experiences of unpaid carers to the centre of Welsh democracy.

It’s estimated that there are around 310,000 unpaid carers in Wales; over 10% of the population. Unpaid carers provide essential care for children, sick and elderly people and people with disabilities. Yet despite the crucial role unpaid carers play in Welsh society, We Care and Oxfam Cymru say their efforts too often go unnoticed and unrewarded: leaving many carers facing emotional and financial hardship as a result.

Caring Craftivists: Stitching Threads of Change, is a project designed to address the invisibility many unpaid carers say they feel, while fitting around their busy lives. We Care and Oxfam Cymru are urging unpaid carers in West Wales to consider taking part.

Katy Styles, founder of We Care, said: “By joining in our craftivism project, we hope to highlight that unpaid carers have unique value: much like the crafted pieces we are hoping to create. It’s a unique way to raise our carer issues and our voices. Bringing the finished dusters together in an exhibition will thread all our isolated voices together and be the more powerful when seen by those in positions of power.”

Sarah Rees, Head of Oxfam Cymru, added: “If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that people who look after others are the absolute bedrock of Welsh society. Without carers, our country and economy would simply grind to a halt. Yet for far too long Wales’ carers have been undervalued and under rewarded, with many pushed to breaking point – both emotionally and financially – as a result.

“Craftivism is a way to challenge this injustice in an expressive, accessible and meaningful way: bringing the voices and experiences of unpaid carers – who often go unheard – directly to the corridors of power. We hope that unpaid carers in West Wales get involved with this project and help us to build a country that truly cares, where no one faces poverty as a consequence of caring.”

The organisations say that the project is open to all unpaid carers, whether or not they have any prior experience in crafting.

People interested in participating will receive a craftivism kit in the post and be invited to join webinars to learn more about stitching and to meet with other carers. Webinars will be recorded and available afterwards online for people who prefer to craft in their own time.

Carers interested in taking part can register for their free craftivist kit online.